Thursday, 26 October 2017

My first sighting of a Clayton since the 1960s. As a youngster then, I remember how noisy they were in their BR ScR service. Unfortunately I am yet to be able to see the preserved locomotive working.

D8568 was completed by the Clayton Equipment Company, and allocated to Haymarket 64B from 6th January 1964. Reallocated to Polmadie in September 1968, and withdrawn on 6th October 1971. After working in industrial service at Hemel Hempstead, it is now preserved by the Diesel Traction Group. Currently at the South Devon Railway where it has arrived in advance of their Diesel Gala from 3rd to 5th November.

This gantry of signals is from the west end of the station, and was relocated to feature outside of the David & Charles premises. It is located on a ransom strip owned by the council, and intended to be retained as part of the Aldi development. While visiting the town museum, I was told that the ownership would be passed to them, and that the South Devon Railway (Buckfastleigh) team may assist with some maintenance and conservation. Some arms have been removed since 2012 and earlier this year.

End of the line, on the Moretonhampstead branch, for the meantime anyway, just west of the Kingsteignton Road, although it is intact to Heathfield. The line appears in good fettle since it was used for Colas Rail operated timber trains to Chirk from 2011 to 2015, but this traffic has now been moved to Exeter, and Network Rail have again placed into a mothballed status.

D3014Samson and D7535 MERCURY(25185) at Paignton. The Class 08 was withdrawn in October 1972 before BR renumbering.

The climb was slow, with slipping on a difficult rail. The views were rewarding, such as this one over Broadsands.

75014 BRAVEHEARTwas loaded onto a road transporter at Churston, apparently returning from the West Somerset Railway where it was a guest locomotive. The strange symbols were all over the railway, I think related to forthcoming Half-Term and Halloween.

7827 departs from Kingswear, as seen from Dartmouth.

7827 running around at Kingswear.

The railway company also manages buses and ferry boats. Y816TGH (Volvo / Plaxton) is former London Central PVL216 and Plymouth Citybus 439.

Dart Explorer ran a ferry crossing to meet the train, now seen departing on a cruise.

Friday, 20 October 2017

55002 (D9002) had what I understand was an AWS related fault. The part was in delivery but went to Alresford, Essex by mistake, 55002 managed to play a part in the gala by borrowing the equivalent from D6700 later in the day. All is now reported sorted on both locomotives for Saturday 21st.